Anchor



G. S. ALLIN Aug. 29, 1939.

ANCHOR Filed Au 22, 1938 INVENTOR S. Azu/v BY ATI'ORNEY Patented Aug.29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in anchors, and has referencemore particularly to anchors designed for the mooring or anchoring ofwater craft; it being the principal object of this invention to providean anchor that is especially adapted for use by sea planes, light seacraft, and craft wherein weight of equipment to be carried and spaceoccupied thereby is of material consequence.

It is also an object to provide an anchor having exceptionally goodholding efiiciency that is obtained by reason of design and relationshipof its parts rather than by reason of the weight of the anchor.

It 'is a further object of this invention to provide an anchor havingfluke arms and cross arms hingedly mounted on a shank against which theyare adapted to be folded for compactness when the anchor is not in use.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of meanswhereby the fluke arms, fiukes and cross arms of the anchor may besimultaneously moved between extendedand vcollapsed positions andautomatically secured against collapse when extended.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provisionof an anchor wherein a pair of fluke mounting arms, and a pair of crossarms are pivotally fixed to the shank end, and flukes are pivotallyfixed to the fluke arms; and wherein-a sleeve or collar is movable alongthe shank and has links connecting it with the cross arms and fluke armsfor moving them between collapsed and extended positions together.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a togglingaction in the linkage that connects the sleeve and fiukes through whicha rigid, locking action may be obtained to hold the flukes and flukearms in extended position and against collapse. Also, to provide atoggle action which will hold the parts in collapsed position.

Other objects of the invention reside in the specific details ofconstruction of the various parts, particularly in those featuresemployed to give strength and rigidity to the anchor.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the combination andrelationship of parts and in their mode of operation, as willhereinafter be fully described. In accomplishing these, and otherobjects of the invention, I have provided the improved detailsofconstructed, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing,

wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the present anchor, particularlyillustrating the fluke, and fluke arm construction; the anchor beingshown in open position.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal, cross section as seen on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail of a fluke, as seen on the line 3-3in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, cross section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1,illustrating the cross arm arrangement and linkage connecting the crossarms and sleeve.

Referring more in detail to the drawing- In its present, preferred formof construction, the shank portion of the anchor, designated byreference character Ii], if of tubular form for reduction of weight andmaximum strength, and it is provided at its inner end, that being theupper end as shown in Fig. 1, with a swivel ring ll adapted for eitherrope or chain connection. This swivel ring has a shank Ha extendedthrough a central opening in a block i3 that is fixed in the end of theshank l0 and this shank is formed with a head l2 at its inner end tohold the swivel against displacement, yet perrelationship in which theyare shown in Fig. 2

Whenin open or extended position. All of these arms have their innerends hingedly attached to the outer end of the shank If] in such manneras to permit them to be folded against the shank, as is indicated indotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, and to be extended to their openpositions as shown in full lines.

The means employed for hingedly mounting the arms 15-45 and l6|6 on theshank comprises, for each fluke arm, a pair of spaced flanges or earsl'|l'| that are fixed to the end of the shank It. The inner ends of thefluke arms are disposed between paired ears and are secured by hingepins 19. For each cross arm, there is a similar pair of spaced earsl8--|8 that are fixed to the end of the shank ID and mounting the innerends of the fluke arms therebetween on hinge pins 20.

As will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 4, both the fluke armsand the cross arms have flat end surfaces and are hinged, or pivotedbetween their mounting ears at points near the upper edges so that whenswung to extended positions, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 4,they will be held against farther travel when substantially at rightangles to the shank [0 by reason of their end surfaces coming into flatabutment with the shank I0.

A feature of the present construction resides in the fact that the crossarms are substantially longer than the fluke arms and that whenextended, their under surfaces lie in the same straight line, and theirtop surfaces are inclined downwardly from their inner ends toward theirouter ends as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4, whereas thefluke arms, when extended, have their top surfaces substantially in thesame line perpendicular to the shank l0, and their under surfaces areinclined upwardly from their inner ends toward the outer ends. This hasa bearing on the locking action, as presently will be understood.

A sleeve or collar 25 is fitted about the shank If! and is slidabletherealong, and at its lower end, has actuating connection with theflukes and cross arms; there being connecting links 29 extended betweenthe lower end of the sleeve and the flukes. These links are connectedpivotally at their inner ends by pins 30 between paired mounting ears 29on the lower end of the sleeve and are pivotally connected at theirouter ends by pins 3| to the flukes at points spaced somewhat above thepivotal mounting of the flukes on the fluke arms I5. Likewise, links 33have their inner ends pivotally mounted between ears 28 on the lower endof the sleeve by pins 3 3, and their outer ends pivotally fixed to thecross arms by means of pins 35.

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that each of the flukes 2| isconstructed of two triangularly shaped ears Zia which form the oppositeside sections of the fluke and these are joined together along theirinner or adjacent edges through the mediacy of a channel bar 2lb; themanner of connection being to form the sections 2m along their joiningedges with laterally turned flanges and to seat these in the channel barand weld them thereto, as seen in Fig. 3.

The channel bar faces inwardly and serves to receive the fluke link 29therein when the parts are adjusted to collapsed position; this beingunderstood by reference to the dotted line position of parts as seen inFig. l. The flukes are of triangular form and terminate at their outerends in a point formed by the securing of a solid conical pin 24 withinthe outer end portion of the channel bar.

It is to be noted, by reference to Fig. 1, that the upper edge surfacesof the fluke arms l5-I5 are substantially perpendicular to shank Ill,and that the lower surfaces of the fluke links 29 are adapted to lieflatly in abutment therewith when the fluke arms and flukes areextended. Furthermore, the pivot pins 30 in the ears 2'! are at pointsbelow the line between the pivot pins 3! connecting the fluke links 29in the flukes 2|. The arrangement and connection of the links 29 resultsin a toggle connection being formed between the collar 25 and the flukes2!, which retains the anchor locked in an open position against forcesthat might otherwise tend to fold it up. The locking action of thetoggle may be broken or relieved by manually sliding the collar 25 alongthe shank l0 toward its upper end or until the center of the pins 30 areeven with or past the line of the pins 3| As seen in dotted outline inFig. 1, the flukes and fluke arms fold up along the shank to a verycompact position for storage of the anchor.

Likewise, with the collar in its outer position, the cross arm. links 33prevent the cross arms Hi from folding upwardly, and hold them rigidlyin an extended position substantially as shown in Fig. 4. However, whenthe anchor is folded up, these cross arm links 33 play a very importantpart in holding the parts in folded position, for when the collar 25 ismoved upwardly to the position shown in dotted line, the fluke arm, thefluke and the fluke link limit its travel, and the pivot points 35 swingwithin the lines between the pivots 34 and 20, thus becoming locked in afolded position. This arrangement tends to hold the anchor locked in afolded position until the cross arms are manually pulled outwardly tobreak or overcome this toggle action.

Assuming the anchor to be so constructed, its use and mode of operationwould be as follows: Considering the anchor to be in a folded position,the user supports the shank III in upright position with one hand andpulls the cross arms outwardly thereby to break the toggle action orposition of the cross arm links. Then the cross arms and the fluke armsfall to their open position by reason of their own weight and by aslight pressure the fluke links are toggled into locking position, thusholding the anchor locked in an open position.

Should the anchor come to rest against a surface in a perpendicularposition when in use, the tapering lower edges of the fluke arms tend todirect its fall when a slight pull is exerted on the rope or chain fromthe boat, so as to direct the fluke point downwardly toward the surface,and by the increased length of cross arms beyond the fluke arm toincrease its efficiency in taking hold of the ground.

When it is desirable to fold the anchor up for stowing it away while notin actual use, a slight upward pull on the sliding collar breaks thetoggle connections in the fluke links and the cross arms may be foldedup. A slight inward pressure on the cross arms closes the toggle in thecross arm links and the anchor is ready to be stowed away until the nexttime it is needed.

By reason of its light weight and compactness of size, such an anchor isreadily .adapted to be used on seaplanes, clipper ships and small sea-'craft, as is quite apparent.

This anchor was primarily designed to anchor a craft by biting ordigging its flukes into the sea bed instead of by its actual weight, andin tests carried on side by side with other anchors of much larger sizeand much greater weight, this anchor proved to be many times moreefiicient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An anchor comprising a shank, a fluke arm hingedly fixed to the outerend of the shank for movement from a position lying adjacent the shankto a definitely limited extended position, a fluke hinged on the outerend of the fluke arm and adapted to lie along the shank when the shankarm is so disposed and to be moved to functional position when the armis moved to extended position, a collar slidable along the shank, a stopon the shank for limiting the movement of the collar outwardlytherealong, a toggle link pivotally connected at its ends, respectively,to the collar and to the fluke and adapted, when the collar is moved toposition against said stop to operate as a toggle lock whereby to retainthe fluke in its functional position and the arm extended.

2. An anchor comprising a shank, a fluke arm hingedly fixed to the outerend of the shank for movement from a position lying adjacent the shankto a definitely limited extended position, a fluke hinged on the outerend of the fluke arm and adapted to lie along the shank when the shankarm is so disposed and to be moved to functional position when the armis moved to extended position, a collar slidable along the shank, a stopon the shank for limiting the movement of the collar outwardlytherealong, a toggle link pivotally fixed at its inner end to the collarand pivotally fixed at its outer end to the fluke at a point beyond thehinge connection of the latter with the fluke arm; said link, when thesaid collar is moved to a position against its stop, operating as atoggle lock whereby to hold .the fluke in functional position andengaging the fluke arm to resist any movement from extended position.

3. An anchor as recited in claim 2 wherein the points of hinging andpivoting of the fluke arm and toggle link and the location of the stopare all so positioned that, when the fluke arm is extended and thecollar is engaged with its limiting stop, the toggle link will liesolidly against the fluke arm in a manner whereby to hold the arm andfluke rigid in the shank and the parts locked against movement towardcollapsed position along the shank.

4. An anchor comprising a shank, a pair of fluke arms fixed to the shankat its outer end, means mounting the arms hingedly on the shank formovement from positions lying along the shank to extended positionssubstantiallly perpendicular to the shank in alinement at opposite sidesthereof; said arms having end shoulders adapted to engage in limitingabutment with the mounting means when in extended positions, a fiukehinged on the outer end of each arm and adapted to lie along the shankwhen its arm is so disposed and to assume an angular functional positionrelative to the arm when the latter is extended,'a collar slidable alongthe shank and adapted to engage in limiting abutment with the fluke armmounting means when thefluke arms are extended, and links pivotallyconnected at their inner ends to the collar and at their outer ends tothe flukes at points beyond their hinged connections with the fluke armsand adapted, when the collar is engaged against said fluke arm mountingmeans to function as a toggle lock whereby to hold the fiukes infunctional position and the arms against movement toward the shank.

5. An anchor comprising a shank, a fluke arm hingedly fixed to the outerend of the shank to move from a collapsed position lying along the shankto a definitely limited extended position, a fluke hinged to the outerend of the fiuke arm, a cross arm hingedly fixed to the outer end of theshank to move from a collapsed position lying along the shank to adefinitely limited extended position, a collar slidable along the shank,a limiting stop for the collar adjacent the outer end of the shank,links pivotally connected at their inner ends to the collar and at theirouter ends to the fluke and cross arm; the link which connects with thefluke operating, when the collar is against its limiting stop, as atoggle lock, whereby to hold the arm and fluke in extended position, andto hold the collar against releasing movement along the shank by reasonof any collapsing pressure applied against the fluke arm.

6. An anchor as in claim 5 wherein the link which connects the collarand cross arm is of substantially the same length as the distance fromthe point of hinging of the cross arm to the point of attachment of thecross arm and link whereby to have an inwardly breaking toggle actionwhen the parts are in collapsed position and thereby lock the collaragainst movement toward the outer end of the shank by reason of weightor pull applied thereto through the link connected with the fluke '7. Ananchor comprising a shank, a pair of fluke arms mounted hingedly on theouter end of the shank at opposite sides thereof, a pair of cross armshingedly mounted on the outer end of the shank at opposite sides thereofand intermediate the fluke arms; said fluke arms and said cross armsbeing adapted to be moved from collapsed positions lying along the shanktoopen positions extended substantially perpendicular thereto, andadapted to engage in limiting abutment with their mounting means when inextended positions, a collar slidable along the shank and adapted toengage in limiting abutment with the arm mountings, links connectedpivotally to the collar and to the cross arms, flukes hingedly mountedon the fluke arms, links pivotally connected to the collar and to thefiukes at points beyond their mountings on the fluke arms, and servingas a toggle look when the collar is in limiting abutment with the armmountings, to resist movement of the fiukes and fluke arms towardcollapsed position, and the first mentioned links serving as togglelooks when the cross arms are in collapsed position to hold the collaragainst movement by reason of pull thereon for extending the arms.

GEORGE S. ALLIN.

